Biography

Ellen Kitchell, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine. She specializes in the prevention and treatment of HIV, the diagnosis and management of opportunistic infections for patients with HIV/AIDS, and improving quality and access to care in free clinic settings.

I am honored to partner with patients in their journey toward wellness.

Dr. Kitchell holds a bachelor's degree in biological sciences from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she graduated summa cum laude. She then earned her medical degree at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine and completed both internal medicine residency training and a fellowship in infectious diseases at UT Southwestern. She holds HIV Expert certification through the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) and specialist certification through the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in infectious diseases, Dr. Kitchell joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2010.

Dr. Kitchell is the Medical Director of HIV Clinical Services at Parkland Health, the largest outpatient provider of HIV care in Dallas; she is also the Director of UTSW’s HIV Fellowship and the Course Director of UTSW’s HIV Curriculum Series. She is a past member of the HIVMA’s Leadership Development Committee and a current reviewer for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV.

Dr. Kitchell is a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and a member of the American College of Physicians, among other professional organizations.

Dr. Kitchell's research focuses primarily on improving the quality of care for patients with HIV, including reducing inpatient readmissions and increasing rates of HIV testing in asymptomatic patients. She is involved in a number of clinical trials and has delivered many invited lectures. She is a past recipient of UTSW’s Excellence in Education Core Clerkship Teaching Award.

Dr. Kitchell practices primarily at Parkland Memorial Hospital, both in the inpatient setting and the outpatient setting at Amelia Court, as a primary care and specialty provider for patients with HIV/AIDS and medical comorbidities.

Education

Medical School
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine (2005)
Residency
UT Southwestern Medical Center (2008), Internal Medicine
Fellowship
UT Southwestern Medical Center (2010), Infectious Diseases

Research Interest

  • Determining the Prevalence and Characteristics of Readmissions Among HIV-infected Patients
  • Hepatitis B-HIV Co-infection
  • Universal HIV Testing in Asymptomatic Patients

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

Central nervous system toxicity associated with ertapenem use.
Duquaine S, Kitchell E, Tate T, Tannen RC, Wickremasinghe IM Ann Pharmacother 2011 Jan 45 1 e6
Evaluation and treatment of the patient coinfected with hepatitis B and HIV.
Kitchell E, Jain MK Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2008 Aug 5 3 103-11

Books

Featured Books Legend Featured Books

Honors & Awards

  • Fellow
    Infectious Diseases Society of America (2021)
  • Excellence in Education Core Clerkship Teaching Award
    UT Southwestern (2012)
  • Alpha Omega Alpha
    Medical honor society (2004)
  • Phi Beta Kappa
    Honors society (2001)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

  • American Academy of HIV Medicine (2013)
  • HIV Medicine Association (2008)
  • Infectious Diseases Society of America (2008)
  • Ryan White Medical Providers Coalition (2010)